Pass the Crown
by Imagined Reality
Summary: Oneshot. Sometimes sacrifice is the only way to win a battle. Sometimes defeat is the only chance for victory. Sometimes death is the only way to ensure life. Realize this, and carry on. Save the worlds. You can do it without me. I know you can.


I was browsing Deviantart and I came across a beautiful piece of fan art. I sat there and stared at it, just drinking in the emotions the artist had captured. Three seconds after that, I had word open and was typing away furiously. This story just took a hold and **ran**, with me running behind brandishing a keyboard trying to catch it. I suppose it could be considered a oneshot, since I won't be expanding on this specific story. And I guess it could be kinda AUish. This idea may or may not appear in Dark Light, but... well... we'll see. That's why the edit button exists.

1) Check out KH: Crown by ~azmin http: //azmin . deviantart . com/art/KH-Crown-45560222 I know it's annoying, but don't forget to take out the spaces when you stick it into your browser.

2) This is tentatively placed in the realm of my Kingdom Hearts story, Dark Light, which isn't up yet. However, my characters still belong to me. Lyn, Rina, Gethin, Cali, and Lezia are mine. And on the flip side, all Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy characters belong to their respective owners. I don't own them, and as much as I wish it, I never will.

4) Regular text is the present. _Italics are the past. You'll see.  
_

3) Read, Review, and Enjoy!

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The air was beyond stifling. Sadness and grief hung like decorations. Despair coated the room like snow, weighing down upon its inhabitants. Bright sunlight streamed through the open windows, combating with the darkness that oozed out of every corner. But he couldn't see any of this. He could only see the dark of his hand covering his closed eyes. And the replay of a memory in the theater of his mind.

_It was hopeless. I knew it as I swung my Keyblade through another shadow. This world was gone. It was over._

It was rather ironic, just how gullible they all had been. Following Organization XIII's defeat, a welcomed peace had settled across the worlds. Heartless were a rare sight, and even then only spotted in pairs at the most. Nobodies, the ones that were left, were harmless once Xemnas was defeated. Kingdom Hearts was sealed, hidden back into the Realm of Light. The peace was here to stay. Or so everyone had thought.

_The noise was deafening. Weapons flashed. Yellow eyes blazed from the depths of black. Magic sizzled through the air. Someone ran in front of me. "Don't give up!" they yelled, face just a blur as they dove back into the fray. _

Then things started happening. The Heartless appearances began to increase and getting progressively more violent. The Nobodies seemed to multiply and become more agitated by the day. More and more people were turning up missing. The stars started to blink out again, one by one. That was the cue for action. Following the message they got from the King, they left for a world called The Crossroads. Them, the famous Keyblade wielding trio from a tiny world called Destiny Islands.

It turned out worse than anyone thought. Only the King truly knew what to predict. The Second Keyblade War was in full swing by the time they got there. Sure, they had fought against the dark before. Some would even call that two year battle a war. Those some would be mistaken. That fight had been no war. This hell torn world, strewn with bodies and stained with blood, this was war. Where everything that moved snapped another nerve. Where the person to the left could be dead in the next three seconds from an attack no one saw coming. Where dreams never happened during sleep, only a replay of the nightmares from the day before. Where a turned back was an invitation of death. The Crossroads was war. The Crossroads was hell.

_The Heartless were every where. Scuttling up the walls, falling from the sky, crawling out of the ground. There was no way we could get them all. The invasion of Radiant Garden a year ago looked like a picnic compared to this. And we had only managed that because Xemnas kept them under control, unwilling to mess up his plan. There would be no such luck now. The Heartless weren't listening to him anymore. They weren't listening to anyone, but __**Him.**_

The King shielded them from the worst of it, keeping them far away from the front lines as much as possible. Though, being who they were, that didn't often work. It wasn't until one of them almost got killed that they were finally willing to listen to the veterans of war. Without the protection of the King, they would have never gotten through those six months of hell. But finally, the Second Keyblade War was over. Then **He **appeared, and the real fight began.

_A sudden burst of flame appeared at my right, destroying a griffin that was about to rip my arm off. A spear did the same on my left. _

"_Hey kid! It's not my fucking job to save your ass!" Cid yelled as he reclaimed his spear. _

"_You know what it's like to be around these creeps." Axel said as he incinerated a group of Heartless. "Don't let your guard down. Got it memorized?"_

_The unlikely duo took off, leaving me a moment of rest in their wake. I leaned on my knees, taking a deep breath before heading off into the fray._

**Him.** Xehanort. The bastard that just wouldn't roll over and die. Though now he was masquerading under the name No Heart, but it was all the same person. Still as evil and consumed by darkness as always. The frustration was unreal. They kept killing him, and he just kept coming back. And this time, No Heart, Xehanort, was determined not to fail.

"_Hey." A familiar voice spoke from behind me. "How are you holding up?"_

"_Fine." I said, swinging at another group of neo-shadows. "You?"_

"_Great. He's here you know. Up on the cliffs."_

_I whirled around, scanning the edge. Sure enough, there No Heart stood in all his hateful glory._

"_Bastard." I spat, decapitating a shadow with more force than necessary. "Hiding behind his army of puppets."_

"_He's got us out numbered and he knows it. He's wearing us down. It'll be over soon." There was something about her tone that made me glance over my shoulder._

"_Giving up?" I asked. Lyn's face was turned away from me._

"_I don't think there's anything left to give up at this point." She responded, throwing another Dark spell into the masses. "Just don't get killed… or left behind."_

_She sprinted off, leaving me staring at her back. _

"_You too."_

Worlds began disappearing at a terrifying rate. Three or four each week became normal. The Keyblade warriors simply couldn't move fast enough to save them all. There were safe worlds though. Destiny Islands for one, and Disney Castle. The worlds belonging to the Princesses of Heart and the Royal Trinity were all safe worlds. Refugees fled there, those that managed to make it out alive.

A temporary inter-world government was formed, the King at its head. An army was organized, evacuation systems were set up, people just dared to have hope once again.

And then this happened.

_The clash of metal on metal was ringing over the howl of Heartless. Through the writhing mass of darkness, I saw Sora battling fiercely with a Soulless. Armor sparked as the Keyblade Master battered away at the shell, trying his hardest to pierce it. I could see all the wounds he had acquired, blood staining his clothes. I hoped it wasn't all his. _

_I was about to turn away when they locked blades. It only took a moment for the Soulless to overpower Sora, throwing him backwards. The boy groaned as he crawled to his knees, showing just how exhausted he was. Above him, the Soulless prepared to strike._

"_Sora!" I roared, smashing my way through the fray. "Sora!!!"_

_The Heartless obscured my view. All I saw was a flash of metal as the Soulless swung its weapon, and an arc of blood spray into the air. _

"_SORA!!!" _

_I smashed into the Soulless, driving my Keyblade straight through the middle of its armor. There was a hissing noise as the magic that contained its dead heart was released, and the now empty suit of armor crumbled. I whirled around as soon as it clattered to the ground. What I saw made the importance of all else sink to nothing._

"_Sora…"_

_There the Keyblade Master knelt, holding his wounded side with his Keyblade at his feet. Wide blue eyes slowly found my face, only to stare with disbelief._

"_R-Riku…" Sora's voice cracked as he spoke my name. "Riku… he…"_

_I couldn't respond. I fell to my knees next to my best friend, staring at the broken body in front of us. King Mickey lay on the ground, blood pooling around him like a lake. The gold Keyblade had fallen from his hand, glittering despite the crimson around it. The King gave a weak cough, a trail of blood trickling down the side of his mouth. _

"_Your- Your Majesty…" Sora choked out, big blue eyes filling with tears. "You…you shouldn't have done that!"_

"_Yes… I did…" The King rasped. "I had to protect… my friends…"_

"_Don't talk." I commanded, trying to put pressure on the wound. Too much blood. Too much blood!_

"_Sora. You're the Keyblade Master. You give everyone hope." King Mickey ignored me, his voice becoming stronger. "Don't lose that gift. Follow your heart. It won't let you down."_

"_Your Majesty…" My best friend was sobbing now, tears falling freely. I could only grit my teeth. _

"_Riku. I'm glad you found your place in the worlds." The King said, coughing up more blood. "Don't forget that you have a heart too, and it's just as trustworthy as anyone else's. The darkness won't take it… as long as you don't let it…"_

"_Mickey! Mickey, just hang on! We'll get Aerith over here! You'll be fine!" I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince. Him, Sora, or myself. The King only laughed weakly, a small grin on his face._

"_I'm glad it was like this… Fighting for what's right… with my friends…" He trailed off into unconsciousness, sending Sora into a panic attack._

"_Relax. He passed out." I said, trying to calm him._

_I looked around. The Heartless outnumbered us two hundred to one at least, and they just kept coming. It was over. We lost._

"_Sora." I didn't get a response. I looked to see him staring blankly at the King, tears still flowing freely. "Sora!" I shook his shoulder, forcing him to look at me. "Send up the signal. It's done. We have to retreat."_

_It took him a second to do as I said. He jumped up and pointed his Keyblade into the air. A jet of red sparks lit up the sky. I gathered Mickey into my arms, grabbing his Keyblade. Giving Sora a small push ahead of me, we took off towards the ship._

He heard a small shuffling noise over the soft constant sound of sobs. A cushion squeaked as someone shifted their weight. He knew without looking the occupants of the room.

Sora and Kairi sat across from him on their respective couch. The Keyblade Master cried silently on her shoulder, as the Princess of Light held him and tried to comfort him as best she could.

Roxas and Naminé were on the other end of same couch as the first pair. The Princess of Naught leaned against him with her eyes closed. The Prince of Naught had his arm wrapped around her and was staring at his shoes with blank eyes.

Aerith and Zack occupied the window seat, talking quietly to each other. Leon sat alone, head in his hands. Axel was sprawled in the other corner of my couch. Yuna, Rikku, and Paine occupied a pillow on the floor, the three fairies in the midst of a sobbing group hug. Rinoa and Lyn had been here earlier, but had to go rejoin the effort of keeping the worlds turning.

_Sora and I battered Heartless out of the way. The victorious howls of the dark beings at our backs only made us move faster. We were one of the last ones to reach the ship. We passed the outer line of defense, which Sora joined. Eyes widened as I ran, making a beeline for the ship._

"_Aerith!" I yelled as soon as I boarded. "AERITH!"_

_The girl came scrambling out of the Infirmary. There was a beat of staring, and then she took the King from my arms. Nodding although I hadn't said a word, she disappeared into the Infirmary. It was out of my hands now. Quite literally. _

_I ran back outside and pulled Sora from the group. _

"_Make sure no one's out there!" I yelled, before holding Mickey's Keyblade ready. _

_Sora nodded, jumped, and landed on the blade. I pushed him into the air as hard as I could. As he floated above us, I took his place in defending the ship._

"_Start retreating." I commanded so everyone could hear. "Cid should have the ship ready. As soon as Sora and I get on, close the door and take off. No questions asked."_

_The array of warriors affirmed my words by slowly backing into a tighter circle around the ship. Sora landed behind me._

"_I didn't see anyone." He said breathlessly._

_I nodded. Everyone was on the ship. Sora and I ran for it. I turned to close the door and got one last eyeful of the world. The bitter taste of defeat and disappointment rose in my mouth._

_Traverse Town was lost._

_The next few minutes were a blur of activity. Wounds were healed, information was exchanged, everyone was accounted for. I found Lyn at one point, drawing dark poison out of Xigbar's wounds. I waited until her job was done, then captured her in a hug. She didn't argue, knowing that it was more for me than her. _

_Then the lull of inactivity came. I absolutely hated this part. Coming down from the battle high and having to fully realize that we had lost. We had failed. And although we had gone in knowing that it was going to be near impossible to win, the feeling that we had let down the world itself wouldn't be easy to shake._

_We were all just sitting around, some in silence and some in conversation, when Aerith finally emerged from the Infirmary. Blood was spattered across her clothes and her arms and hands had a slightly crimson hue. Her brown hair was in disarray, creating a small halo around her bowed head._

"_Is he alright?" I asked, not realizing I had gotten to my feet._

_Everyone quieted to hear the answer. Aerith raised her head slowly and looked straight at me. The pain in her eyes could only have competition with the sadness of the tears spilling down her cheeks._

"_I'm sorry." She said quietly, her voice even despite her tears. "I tried my best but… I'm sorry…" _

_She collapsed to the floor, unable to hold back the grief. Zack was on the floor beside her in seconds, drawing her close. The room was split by stunned silence and disbelieving tears. Everything dissolved away as I stared at the closed door behind the healer. _

_Dead… He was… dead…_

_A hand slipped into mine. Lyn leaned her head against my shoulder, standing at my side should I need her. I couldn't move. All I could do was stand there, paralyzed by what had just happened._

_His Majesty Mickey, the King of Disney Castle and leader of all worlds, was dead._

By all means, everyone in the room should be down there helping out, but they couldn't. And even if any of them could, he couldn't. That's why he came here in the first place. To escape. He couldn't just pretend like they hadn't just attended the funeral of one of the dearest friends he had. He couldn't put that aside and begin rebuilding around the huge gap that now existed. For Riku, everything had come to a standstill.

There was a soft hand on his shoulder, prompting him to open his eyes. Lyn stood behind him, black curls pushed behind her ears. Her all black outfit was her sign of mourning, she had said. A strange tradition from her world, if he had to guess.

"The Queen wants you in the throne room." She said, glancing around at the array of people. "All of you."

There was a mass of shuffling as everyone moved from their spots. He stood next to Lyn, watching everyone leave. There was a soft sigh as she leaned against him.

"How is it out there?" He asked, wrapping an arm around her.

"A mess." She replied, her eyes closed. "No one knows what to do next. It's a slow process, but we're getting there…"

The Princess of Dark pulled away, gracing him with a small hopeful smile. Taking hold of his hand, she led him out of the room. Eventually catching up with everyone else, they passed through hallways and corridors, all bathed in sunlight. Stained glass windows sparkled, throwing bright patches of color upon the group. Lyn's hand was warm in his hand as Riku entered the throne room.

It was clear something was happening. The tension in the room was unbelievable. It flowed through the air, caressing the people flanking the empty throne. The group separated into their respective elements.

The Royal Trinity. Light, Naught, and Dark.

Light. Leon, Zack, Aerith, the Gullwings. This was their home. And for Sora and Kairi, their subjects. Yuffie and many of Sora's friends waited there for them.

Naught. Axel went over to Rina, kissing her lightly as she took his hand. Xemnas and Cloud were holding a non verbal conversation with their respective blank gazes. The rest of Organization XIII was there waiting as well. Roxas and Namine took their places with them.

Dark. Riku's home, as well as Lyn's. Sephiroth was present, as well as Gethin and Cali. Lezia was holding a quiet conversation with Kadaj. Loz and Yazoo stood near their brother. Vincent was silent, Kate wrapped around his arm and half hidden by his cloak as she tried not to cry. Lyn's hand held onto his a little tighter as they stood with them and faced the throne.

Queen Minnie stood tall, looking for all the worlds like a pillar of strength. Donald and Daisy were on her left, Goofy to her right. Behind her on the throne was a pillow, on which sat a crown.

No. She couldn't be…

"Would the Royal Trinity and their retainers please come forward." The Queen spoke softly, though her voice echoed through the room.

He pulled on Lyn's hand, moving her forward towards the throne. Gethin and Cali followed behind. He stopped at the foot of the stairs, bowing before blankly gazing at those above.

"The time has come for us to name a new king. The worlds cannot overcome this battle without a strong leader." She paused, a flicker of grief passing over her face. "King Mickey would not have wanted us to pause in our fight just for him."

Riku's chest constricted tighter, barely allowing him to breathe. Too much was happening too fast.

"Prince of Dark, Riku. Please come forward."

Lyn squeezed his hand before gently pushing him forward. He nearly stumbled up the steps, ending up a stair below the Queen. She looked up at him with a gentle smile.

"The King has left this for you." She said, handing him a letter sealed by Mickey himself.

He couldn't stop his hands from shaking as he opened the envelope, reading the trembling paper. His eyes got wider as the words filtered through. Just a few simple words.

'Riku. The Crown is yours. I know it'll be alright. You'll make the best choice. Trust your heart. Your friend, Mickey.

"_Alright, everyone out!"_

_Cid's voice boomed over the intercom. Lyn jumped, then mumbled a curse as she removed her face from my shoulder. Yawning widely, she looked around, her purple eyes wide as reality began to come back. _

"_Riku." She said, turning to me._

"_I'm fine." I replied, not daring to look at her._

_She gave me a long stare before getting up. I watched her enter the infirmary, shoulders squared for what she would meet. I looked down. The golden Keyblade glittered in my hands. I hadn't let it go. I knew as soon as I did, it would disappear forever._

_The door of the gummi ship opened. I didn't wait for anyone else. Stepping out into the warm glow of Twilight Town, I cast my eyes over those who hadn't come with us. _

_Leon, injured from the last battle he had fought, was at its head. Limping towards me, he gave me a once over then settled his gaze on the Keyblade._

"_What are you doing with that?" His voice was steady, though it was clear that he dreaded the answer. _

_My throat suddenly closed, leaving me unable to talk. Leon's eyes met mine and a heavy weight settled in them. I lifted the Keyblade in front of me, parallel to the ground. I let it go. _

_It clattered to the ground, sending a hollow tinkling through the square. It stilled on the ground, then burst into a shower of golden sparkles. They floated in the air, dancing on the setting sun. _

_Feet stepped down from the gummi ship. Leon's face turned into a mask of disbelief. I turned. _

_Sora slowly walked towards us, holding a bundle wrapped up in white. No amount of padding could hide the trademark ears. The Keyblade Master stopped in front of Leon, his blue eyes full of tears. _

"_I'm sorry." My best friend's voice was the quietest I've ever heard it. "I don't know what to do…"_

_I think that's when the worlds stopped turning._

"Riku."

The Queen's soft voice brought him back. He realized he had been staring at the letter, hands shaking so bad he was in danger of tearing it in half. Looking up at her, he held out the note. Her steady hand took it, calm eyes reading the paper quickly. Wordlessly, she handed it back and turned around. He squeezed his eyes shut.

Why would the King leave him with such responsibility? After all that had happened, all that he had _done_. How could it be that he was the best candidate to lead the worlds? Or maybe that wasn't it at all.

The King had always worked in circles. To never know exactly what he was doing or where that action would lead. It was maddening. Like at the beginning of Sora's second journey. The King helped him out then left without a trace, only to show up again a month later.

So… Perhaps he wasn't supposed to be King, but just act like it? Or was he actually supposed to lead, but never acknowledge it?

"Riku."

He opened his eyes. The Queen was standing with the crown in her hands.

"Do you accept this responsibility?" she asked the question gently, eyes soft as she watched him. He felt his head nod in response.

His hands reached up to touch the cool metal, eventually taking it from Minnie and letting it rest in his hands.

_"__Trust your heart."_

A small tugging in his chest caused him to turn around. Familiar faces stared back, waiting to see his decision. The enormity of it all settled on his shoulders, weighing down his heart even more.

They were placing their hope in him. Him, a person who had succumbed to the darkness over and over again. Who had abandoned everything just to feed his own ego, to convince himself that he was still the best. He wasn't someone to place trust in. To place hope in. He had always been a pillar of strength, of confidence. From the innocent days of Destiny Islands to the war-torn nightmare of the Crossroads, that was his role and he played it with ease. But to be the bearer of hope, to know that if he failed, an uncountable number of dreams would fall with him. That wasn't his place. He knew it. And so did the King.

He let his eyes wander over the crowd. Friends, comrades, family. People he could trust and would trust him. His gaze landed on one individual. Something in the very bottom of his heart stirred. The King's laughter filled his ears.

_"__See! I knew you could do it!"_

There was no hesitation, no indecision in his step. He descended the throne, making his way to the Court of Light. Stopping in front of his best friend, he looked into innocent blue eyes. Eyes people could trust. Eyes people could dare to place hope in. But to set that burden on his shoulders again, when he had already bore it for so long…

_"__Such is the fate of the Keyblade Master."_

Eyes to the floor, Riku placed the crown on Sora's head. He dropped his hands and dared to look at his best friend. Sora looked confused, a little fearful, but overall, he looked ready. Sora, the one who had saved the worlds twice, looked hopeful.

"Do you mind?" His voice was soft, a tendril of fear creeping into his tone. A grin lit up Sora's face.

"Nah. It's fine. It can't be that hard to be King." Sora laughed, the genuine sound filling the room. "But you're gonna help me, right?"

Riku smiled. "Of course."

"Awesome."

The doors slammed open, and a messenger ran in.

"He's back!" She exclaimed, completely out of breath as she sagged against the doorframe. "He's making another attempt on Atlantica!"

Sora threw Cid a grin. "Ready to go?"

"Hell yeah! Let's go kick some ass!!!" Cid yelled, charging out of the room. Axel ran after him, cackling evilly as he dragged Rina behind him. Lyn started laughing, yelling for him to not tear her cousin's arm off.

As the chaos began again, the Royal Trinity found themselves standing together. Shyly, Namine stuck her hand in the middle of the circle.

"For freedom." She said, eyes sparkling.

"Naught!" Roxas slapped his hand on top of hers.

"For balance!" Kairi added her hand.

"Light!" Sora yelled, enthusiastically adding his hand.

"And hearts for all!" Lyn laid her hand next.

"Dark." His hand was last.

"1! 2! 3! WE'RE GONNA WIN!!!!"


End file.
